Certified Nutritionist Linda Clayville

Talking about chemicals in our food is a very controversial subject! The farmers often feel they need a certain amount of chemicals in order to protect their crops and have a good harvest. It’s often the case that farmers feel they are between a rock and hard place growing food without chemicals because they might lose crops to infestations of one kind or another.

The food producers or manufacturers feel some chemicals are necessary for shelf life, taste enhancement or looks. There is much pressure by their constituents to provide the best looking, best tasting and longest shelf life possible in order to appeal to more customers and make a profit.

We, at Nature’s Pantry, understand the reasoning behind the chemicals but we have also committed to our customers that we will only sell foods with the least amount of chemicals possible. Below are chemicals to be avoided:

6 bad food chemicals to avoid:

Monosodium Glutamate: MSG, is a flavor enhancer. Many people may not realize that, despite our knowledge, it is still present in many foods, such as; boxed prepared foods, cheese spreads, soups, condiments, chips, and more. Incredibly, it can even be found in some baby foods as a flavor enhancer. So what does MSG do to your body? It is an “excitotoxin” that excites your cells to the point of damage. This can even cause brain damage, trigger or exacerbate learning disabilities, cause migraines and some believe it may be linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s.

Butylated Hydroxyanisole: BHA is another potential cancer-causing preservative, but it has been deemed safe by the FDA. Its job is to help prevent spoilage and food poisoning, but it’s a major endocrine disruptor and can seriously mess with your hormones. BHA is in HUNDREDS of foods. It’s also found in food packaging and cosmetics. BHA has many aliases. You can look them up. Or you can follow my advice and DITCH processed foods altogether.

Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Benzoate: These preservatives are sometimes added to soda to prevent mold from growing, but benzene is a known carcinogen that is also linked with serious thyroid damage. Dangerous levels of benzene can build up when plastic bottles of soda are exposed to heat or when the preservatives are combined with ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Don’t risk it, just say no to it!

Sodium Nitrates and Sodium Nitrites: These two different preservatives are found in processed meats like bacon, lunch meat, and hot dogs. They’re some of the worst offenders, and they’re believed to cause colon cancer and metabolic syndrome, which can lead to diabetes. Protect your health by always choosing fresh, organic meats.

Glyphosate: According to the ARC, a France-based cancer research arm of the World Health Organization, glyphosate, is used in more than 750 different herbicide products, including Round Up, and its use has been detected in the air during spraying, in water and in food. Experts say there is evidence in humans that the herbicide can cause non-Hodgkins lymphoma and there is convincing evidence that glyphosate can also cause other forms of cancer in rats and mice. ARC’s panel said glyphosate has been found in the blood and urine of agricultural workers, showing the chemical is absorbed by the body.

We should not expose ourselves or our families unnecessarily to unsafe, toxic chemicals, pesticides, herbicides or artificial food colors in our food! Especially not “probable human carcinogens”. For good health, it is best to eat organically grown foods or foods grown with little or no chemicals.

Using less refined sugars can be tough on your sweet tooth! Sugar can be incredibly delicious and extremely harmful. It Is definitely worth your energy or will power to use less. There are many sweeteners found in nature that are actually good for your health. They are lower in calories, low in fructose and taste very sweet without damaging your immune system.

Often when I’m craving something sweet I will eat a piece of fruit or a couple of dates and the feeling that I need a sweet treat disappears. It’s almost impossible to get away from all sugar when our society celebrates every important life event with cake or some other sweet treat!

I prefer using unprocessed, natural sugars in my baking. Sugars that are the least processed are fruit, raw honey, pure maple syrup and coconut sugar. I always recommend using less sugar than the recipe calls for, because most desserts are too sweet for me.

Sweeteners stimulate our appetite, encourage our sweet tooth and pack on the pounds. They place us at risk for obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver. Sugar is addictive and the more you eat, the more you want. So cutting down even a little will help your health over your lifetime.

Healthy sugar substitutes are needed. There are people who might absolutely need to avoid all sugars. This would include brittle diabetics, someone who is insulin resistant, a binge eater, food addicts, or people on low carbohydrate or ketogenic diets.

Sugar substitutes or artificial sweeteners are a topic that has been controversial for a long time. I believe there are natural plant based sweeteners that can be used by everyone, including diabetics, without negative side affects.

4 GOOD sweeteners or sugar substitutes that are safe:

Stevia (sugar from a leafy plant) It is a natural, zero calorie sweetener that can lower both blood pressure and blood sugar levels. You can get the green leaf powder or the white powder that has the chlorophyll removed.

Erythritol (sugar alcohol from fruit) Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that is very sweet but low in calories. Studies show that it is safe to eat, although it can cause digestive distress in high doses.

Xylitol (sugar alcohol from fruit) Xylitol is a very popular sweetener. It is a sugar alcohol with about 2.4 calories per gram. It has some dental benefits, may improve bone density and lower the risk of osteoporosis. It can also cause digestive problems in high doses.

Coconut sugar A solid sugar made from the evaporated sap of the coconut palm. Coconut sugar has a similar taste to brown sugar and can be substituted 1:1 for granulated or brown sugar in most baking recipes. Because coconut palm trees can produce sap for many years and require fewer resources than sugar cane, it’s a fairly sustainable crop. Look for organic varieties to be sure no pesticides are being used. It’s lower on the glycemic index than most other sugars.

4 BAD sugar substitutes that can cause health issues:

Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet, NatraTaste Blue) Studies have shown that Aspartame could cause lymphoma or leukemia when used regularly. It can also be a neurotoxin.

Sucralose (Splenda) Some reports of increased incidence of blood cell tumors when using high doses of Splenda on a regular basis.

Saccharin (Sweet ‘N Low, Sweet Twin) Studies have shown that Saccarin can cause bladder tumors or cancer if used regularly.

I personally don’t want to regularly eat a chemical sweetener that could cause my body great harm. Having said that, all sweeteners should be eaten in small amounts. I would say in conclusion, as with most foods, choose sweeteners that are the least processed and that are healthiest for your body.

We hear so much talk about how bad high fructose corn sweetener (HFCS) is for our bodies and then we find it in so many of the common foods we eat and the drinks we drink. What’s the big deal anyway? Let’s take a good look at it and see what we can find from research.

“The current media debate about the benefits (or lack of harm) of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in our diet misses the obvious. The average American increased their consumption of HFCS (mostly from sugar sweetened drinks and processed food) from zero to over 60 pounds per person per year. During that time period, obesity rates have more than tripled and diabetes incidence has increased more than seven fold. Not perhaps the only cause, but a fact that cannot be ignored.” Mark Hyman, M.D.

People, throughout the world are drinking soft drinks loaded with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which increases a person’s triglyceride levels and their LDL (bad) cholesterol. Sugar from corn is a food that people get a lot of their calories from, primarily in the form of soft drinks. One of the reasons that HFCS is such an unhealthy product is that it is metabolized to fat in your body more rapidly than other sugars, and, because a lot of fructose is consumed in liquid form, its negative metabolic effects are greatly magnified.

According to Dr. Mercola, if people stopped consuming HFCS the health improvement would be FAR more profound than if everyone stopped smoking, because elevated insulin levels are the foundation of nearly every chronic disease known to man including cancer, heart disease, obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, aging, arthritis, osteoporosis, you name it, and you will find elevated insulin levels as a primary factor.

Years ago, in my nutrition studies, we were taught that fructose was a good form of sugar and it was more readily available for energy than other sugars. We used it in our recipes and taught others to use it. It’s use and promotion was quite prevalent in many nutritional circles. We believed it was better for you than sucrose. We discovered through many studies and research, that it definitely was a food that should be avoided, especially the HFCS form.

According to Dr. Mercola, “eating small amounts of whole fruit will not provide tremendous amounts of fructose and should not be a problem for most people, unless diabetes or obesity is an issue but fruit juices, sodas and other beverages sweetened with fructose should be avoided.To add insult to injury, the corn that the high fructose corn syrup is metabolized from nearly all comes from genetically modified corn which is fraught with its own well documented side effects and health concerns.High fructose corn syrup is is not something that should be in your diet at all. But HFCS is the primary caloric sweetener in U.S. soft drinks. Researchers estimate that most Americans eat 132 calories of HFCS per day, while the top 20 percent of sweetener consumers eat over 300. And some, they say, eat as much as 700 calories per day of HFCS.

Sodas, of course, are not the only source of HFCS (though they represent one of the main ones). This dangerous sweetener is also in many processed foods, including some whole grain breads and fruit juices, so to avoid it you need to focus your diet on whole foods, and, if you do purchase packaged foods, become an avid label reader.

Much of the above information I gleaned from Dr. Joseph Mercola, a world-renowned physician and multiple New York Times bestselling author. He established his website, Mercola.com, in 1997 and today, it is the #1 Natural Health Website in the world. Visit his website to learn more about HFCS.

Healthy living has been a passion for most of my adult life. True health and fitness depends on treating the body, mind and soul as a whole unit. The acronym “WHOLENESS” outlines the basic principles that I have learned in my formal studies in nutrition and have observed in truly healthy people. Following these principles will help keep our body’s immune system in good shape. Thinking about wholeness can help keep us on track when enthusiasm for taking care of our bodies wanes.

W = Water Drink water like a camel! Since the human body is more than 70% water, not drinking enough of it can dehydrate every body system. But 6-8 glasses of pure water a day can protect your immune system, joints, brain, heart, pancreas, and skin. It will help control false hunger pangs, aid in elimination, and stave off premature aging. Ideally drink about one half your body weight in ounces every day.

H = Healthy Habits Establish a regular, healthy circadian rhythm. The body is programmed to work optimally on a 24-hour circadian cycle. Eating, sleeping and exercising at regular times each day supports the immune system, physical fitness and can actually prolong life! Many people who live to be 100+ say that they followed regular routines in their lives.

O= Outside Air Go outdoors and breathe deeply every day. Diseases, including the dreaded cancers, thrive when there is a lack of oxygen. So does brain fog. Getting outside for a breath of fresh air can clear the mental cobwebs. Filling your lungs and life with fresh outside air will help keep you physically fit, mentally sharp and enhance your immune system.

L= Love Cultivate a love of God, love of others and a lifestyle of forgiveness. Don’t hesitate to actively seek help in coming to terms with present pain or with old issues. Nine out of ten illnesses originate in the mind. Worry, bitterness and unresolved anger, can wreak havoc on every system in the body, including the immune system. On the other hand; love, trust and forgiveness are life giving, immune boosting and health preserving.

E= Exercise & Elimination Get moving and make sure to keep your colon moving, as well. Walk, run, swim, rebound, etc. 30+ minutes daily and remember to rotate with resistance exercises, such as weight lifting every other day for bone health. S-T-R-E-T-C-H like a cat upon arising and right after you exercise. Exercise is good for your mood, circulation, digestion, respiration, elimination and immune system. Just like exercise, regular elimination is a key to health. Good nutrition, plenty of fiber, exercise and natural aids can help regularity, if it’s something your body struggles with.

N= Nutrition Eat a fibrous, unprocessed “rainbow.” The fiber in grains, beans, nuts and seeds help keep your colon swept out. Five to seven servings of dark, bright colored fruits and vegetables every day provides your body with very powerful anti-oxidants and enzymes that it needs for both function and repair. To preserve valuable nutrients, look for food without much processing. Toss the highly refined foods. Eat some raw food with every meal to insure proper digestion, a good immune system and great health!

E= Endorphins Tickle your funny bone and avoid “stinking thinking.” Laughter and a positive attitude helps release endorphins. Endorphins are the feel good hormones that help keep your body healthy. Laughter is good medicine and also an immune booster. A happy heart can actually strengthen the bones! So make a point to laugh every day and go out of your way to interact with people who support positive thinking.

S= Sunshine Soak up sunshine for 15-30 minutes every day. Exposing just your face to sunlight for that short amount of time, whatever the season, causes the body to produce Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps strengthen bones, improve mood, keep your immune system healthy and prevent cancer. Sunlight also can lift the mood and help to prevent seasonal effective disorder. Take precautions against sunburn, but don’t fear the sun.

S= Sleep Don’t burn the midnight oil. Our immune systems depend on adequate rest to function properly. Go to bed early and get six to eight hours of sleep every night. The body is programmed to heal and repair itself during sleep, going to bed too late and/or not getting enough rest can short circuit physical and emotional health. Conversely, regular and adequate rest can support health and lead to a longer, healthier life. When a group of centurions were asked what they attributed their long life to, many stated, they believed that taking a short afternoon nap helped them live longer.

Remember the acronym “wholeness” as you go about your day, it will help remind you that taking care of your body is a priority for a long, energy filled and healthy life.

In our last blog post in November I listed the 12 food additives to avoid and now I will begin to define and explain why some food additives should be avoided.

I will begin with Trans Fats. An unhealthy substance, also known as trans fatty acid, made through the chemical process of hydrogenation of oils. Hydrogenation solidifies liquid oils and increases the shelf life and the flavor stability of oils and foods that contain them. Trans fat is found in vegetable shortenings and in some margarines. Here’s some information about trans fat and how to avoid it.

The manufactured form of trans fat, known as partially hydrogenated oil, is found in a variety of food products. Look for “0 g transfat” on the Nutrition Facts label and no hydrogenated oils in the ingredients list. Doughnuts, cookies, crackers, muffins, pies and cakes are examples of foods found in the grocery stores that usually contain transfat.

Some meat and dairy products contain small amounts of naturally occurring trans fat. But most trans fat is formed through an industrial process that adds hydrogen to vegetable oil, which causes the oil to become solid at room temperature. This partially hydrogenated oil is less likely to spoil, so foods made with it have a longer shelf life. Some restaurants use partially hydrogenated vegetable oil in their deep fryers, because it doesn’t have to be changed as often as do other oils.

“Trans fat is considered by many doctors to be the worst type of fat you can eat. Unlike other dietary fats, trans fat — also called trans-fatty acids — both raises your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and lowers your HDL (“good”) cholesterol. A diet laden with trans fat increases your risk of heart disease, the leading killer of men and women.” Staff at Mayo Clinic

It’s very important to read your labels when purchasing foods that contain fats and make sure there are no trans fats in the products you are buying. Especially staying clear of deep fried foods because they are generally high in trans fatty acids. Be particular in choosing your food when eating out. All deep fat fried foods contain trans fats and many other fried or processed foods that contain shortening or margarine in the ingredients will have trans fats.

The American Heart Association recommends that adults who would benefit from lowering LDL cholesterol reduce their intake of trans fat and limit their consumption of saturated fat to no more than 5 to 6% of total calories

Eating a diet containing 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day as recommended by the American Dietetics Association will help our bodies be satisfied with less trans fats . Our dietary goal should be to eat a balanced diet containing very few trans fatty acids. It’s best to choose food as grown rather than highly processed food. Choose most of your food as fresh food; such as vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fresh caught fish or grass fed, free range animal products in order to avoid trans fatty acids. This is one of the best ways to keep your body healthy and happy!

As many of you know Nature’s Pantry is on a mission to help our customers find and maintain vibrant health! One of the ways we do that is by not selling foods containing harmful additives, dyes, or chemicals and not marketing products from farms that have been abusive to animals. We believe produce should be farmed without chemicals and synthetic additives; that animals should be raised humanely without extreme antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones and be pastured, grass fed and not caged in cramped spaces.

We strive to carry only top products that meet high standards and nourish us without putting harmful ingredients into our systems or the environment. We want to sell the very best and be good stewards of whatever is entrusted to us.

With that in mind, we have adopted a list of additives that we try very hard to keep out of the products that we sell in our store:

We promote whole foods as grown in nature, free from chemicals and as unprocessed as possible. We give special attention and strive to sell certified organic, non GMO, fair trade and locally grown foods because they support our mission the best.

This is just the beginning in helping you to make wise food choices and avoid unnecessary chemicals in the foods you consume. I’m sure we will be adding to this list as time goes on with all the industrial farming and chemicals being added to our crops and food products.

Please read your labels and be aware of what you are purchasing, consuming and feeding your families. We are there to assist you and help you find the best foods possible to meet your nutrition needs. We will define and discuss the above 12 harmful ingredients in greater detail in future blogs.

Every fall Nature’s Pantry offers a cooking class and sampling meal that promotes cooking from scratch and using unprocessed foods from our bulk bins. This class has been a great success and this is the fourth year we have offered it. This is part of spreading our mission of helping our customers find and maintain vibranthealth!

This class offers you an insight into a “Whole Plant Based Diet” comprised of eating foods in their fresh and unprocessed form. The mainstay of a Plant Foods Diet is whole grains, legumes (beans), nuts, seeds, and organically-grown fresh fruits and vegetables..

The majority of Americans today are pushed for time and the result can be eating too many fast and processed foods. Many of these foods are high in trans fats, sodium, preservatives, food colorings or high fructose corn syrup. We see people every day that are looking for alternatives for eating healthier but don’t know how to cook with unprocessed foods that are not found in a box. Many customers have said they would eat better if they only knew how to cook with bulk foods and could taste them. This is your opportunity!.

This class will help teach you how to cook healthy meals, using simple ingredients, that are economical and quick to prepare. We will give you recipes, ideas on planning your meals, and teach you how to do some prep work ahead of time. Your meals will not only taste good but be more enjoyable, knowing that you did it all yourself with wholesome ingredients.

Some of the recipes will include foods such as: quinoa, black beans, chick peas, red beans, black caviar lentils, country wild rice, chia seeds, millet, cashews, fresh spices and herbs, coconut flour, almonds, pure maple syrup, and the list is too long to mention them all. It will be nutritious, delicious, fun and time well spent.

I am inviting you to make room in your weekly schedule to join us in this upcoming class Back to Basics #4 at Nature’s Pantry, October 23, at 6:00 p.m. The fee is only $10.00 and there is limited space, so please be sure to pre-register at Nature’s Pantry Natural Foods, 1907 4th Street in La Grande or call 541-963-7955.

Nature’s Pantry is all about helping our community find and maintain vibrant health! Each of us need a balance in eating the right fuel for our bodies along with finding the right activities to keep our bodies physically fit.

We are offering a great class on personal health and fitness featuring Taylor Walden, Personal Trainer with Mountain Valley Therapy. Taylor will be offering an interactive discussion on how to find creative fitness activities, make healthier decisions regarding exercise, and how to stay active for life. Taylor is currently a senior at Eastern Oregon University and will be attending Chiropractic school in the fall.

Physical fitness refers to the ability of your body systems to work together efficiently to allow you to be healthy and perform activities of daily living. Fitness isn’t defined by how you look. Exercise is one of the most important things you can do for your health and fitness. The key is to find the right exercise for you and an activity that you will stick with.

Regular physical activity, along with a good diet, can help protect you from the following:

Obesity.

Noninsulin-Dependent Diabetes.

High Blood Pressure.

Heart Disease and Stroke.

Back Pain.

Osteoporosis.

Self Esteem And Stress Management.

Disability.

To learn more, please join us for Taylor’s class, “Health Through Fitness”, being held Monday, September 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the Upper Room at Nature’s Pantry. Register today at Nature’ Pantry or call 541-963-7955.

If you are interested in your health and weight management, we have a great class for you! It will be held at Nature’s Pantry, Monday, August 28, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.with Jessica Reynolds, Registered Dietician. Jessica is very personable, energetic, knowledgeable and full of “vim and vinegar”. She will be presenting ideas and ways to help you obtain and maintain a healthy weight!

According to Jessica the class will be about adding some good into your life. This course will help you:

Recognize that health and well-being are multidimensional and that they include physical, social, spiritual, occupational, emotional and intellectual aspects.

Transform nutrition information into practical, daily living for you and your family.

Create well-rounded grocery lists for a healthy lifestyle.

As many of you have guessed from my random blogs, my passion is nutrition and helping people find and maintain vibrant health. Recently, I was attending a health webinar where the following information was given:

Only 15% of extremely over weight people eat too much (2,800-4,000 calories)

But 35% of extremely over weight people eat normally (2,000-2,700 calories)

And 50% of people who are overweight eat very little (800-1,500 calories

According to Jessica, “restrictive dieting is an ineffective long term prescription for obesity, as up to 95% of dieters regain the weight they lost, and sometimes more, within three years. Restrictive dieting and weight cycling can lead to physical complications including slowed metabolism, reduced muscle tissue and body temperature, as well as eating disorders”.

I was so surprised to learn that many of us that are overweight don’t eat enough healthy calories to maintain good muscle strength and energy. Also there are more overweight individuals that are struggling with malnutrition than you would think. You don’t have to be skinny, with your ribs showing, to be malnourished!

Consider the following statistics according to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2013–2014:

More than 2 in 3 adults are considered to be overweight.

More than 1 in 3 adults are considered to be obese.

More than 1 in 20 adults are considered to have extreme obesity.

About one-third of children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 are considered to be overweight.

More than 1 in 6 children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 are considered to be obese.

Those statistics are very saddening and I want this class to be positive and helpful for you and me and anyone else that might be struggling with their weight management. If you would like some ideas, motivation and help, stop in and register for our class “Healthy Weight Management” at Nature’s Pantry, 1907 4th Street in La Grande, Oregon or call 541-963-7955 soon, because space is limited.

As any new year comes around many individuals make resolutions. One habit or resolution, that I would like to see established in people’s lives, is the practice of eating breakfast. So many people hurry on with their lives skipping this improtant meal.

We have many choices in any given day and one of our first daily choices should be to eat a healthy breakfast. It’s very important to break the fast after sleeping, with a nutrient dense breakfast! Do you take part in this life giving meal? If not, this new year would be a good time to begin.

Do you struggle with eating breakfast? I talk to a lot of people during the day and I find that many of them do not eat breakfast. There seems to be 3 main reasons:

Some aren’t hungry in the morning

Many have frantic morning schedules

Others are trying to cut calories by skipping their first meal

The first reason can usually be solved by drinking 16 oz. of water upon arising. This helps get the appetite going within the hour. The second reason could be solved by getting up 30 minutes earlier. The trouble with the third reason is that the calories saved are usually offset by overeating in the evening, sometimesbinging.

Many studies have shown that breakfast eaters generally keep their weight under control better than non breakfast eaters. A University of California study of 16,000 people’s eating habits showed that those that ate breakfast had the lowest body mass index. Starting your morning with breakfast can boost your metabolism.

Eating a good breakfast may cut down your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. It may improve your mood and can increase alertness. Many studies show that performance at work and school improve by eating a nourishing breakfast.

When a person wakes up in the morning their blood sugar can be low from the body using available stores of fuel for functioning during sleep. Even lower blood sugar can result from no morning meal; which can cause memory issues, irritability, poor concentration, inability to focus or a bad mood.

One idea is to prepare for your breakfast the evening before, especially if you have a very busy schedule. Thinking and planning ahead makes the morning go smoother. Some people pack breakfast in a bag, lay out their food and even set their table the night before.

There are those people who say they can’t stand the thought of food in the morning. If that’s your stance then at least drink something with protein, good carbs and nutrients. Some might prefer to pack breakfast to go; such as a green smoothie, fruit, nuts or a healthy whole grain breakfast muffin to eat mid morning.

Beginning your day with a good breakfast with high fiber, some protein and complex carbohydrates will help keep your blood sugar stable, keep you more alert, help you have more energy, be more emotionally stable and possibly give you a longer life.

It’s my hope that you will choose to “break the fast” every day by eating a healthy, nourishing breakfast and possibly adding many healthy years to your life.